Annual Report 2003 - ICVS

Transcrição

SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES
LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
(ICVS)
ANNUAL REPORT
2003
University of Minho, Braga |December 2003
The present report, elaborated in the scope of the evaluation of the
Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, on the 10th of
December 2003, by the External Panel of the Foundation for
Science and Technology (FCT), regards the year 2003 which was
essentially a launching period for the research activities at the
ICVS. A summary of the original objectives, evolution, goals and
challenges of ICVS, specifically prepared to give the Panel an
overview of the development of ICVS since its creation, is included
as annex to the present report (Appendix I).
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Page
INDEX
1
INTRODUCTION
…4
2.
ORGANIZATION AND COORDINATION
...5
3.
ACTIVITIES IN 2003
3.1.
PLANS AND STRATEGIES
3.2.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
3.2.1.
ONGOING RESEARCH AREAS, TEAMS AND RESULTS
…7
3.2.2.
EXTERNAL FUNDING
…18
3.3.
SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION BY THE ICVS MEMBERS
…20
3.3.1.
…7
INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
A.
Articles
…20
B.
Book Chapters
…23
C.
Abstracts in Congresses
…24
3.3.2.
NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
3.3.3.
UNDER-GRADUATE AND POST-GRADUATE THESIS
A.
THESIS CONCLUDED IN 2003
Under Graduate Thesis
…28
…28
…28
Master Thesis
…28
B.
…29
THESIS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
3.4.
RESEARCH PRIZES
...29
3.5.
POST-GRADUATION COURSES
...29
3.6.
COOPERATION WITH NATIONAL AN D INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
3.7.
A.
PARTICIPATION IN BILATERAL ACTIONS
…31
B.
PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS
…32
“CIÊNCIA FALADA NO ICVS” - TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE AT THE ICVS
...32
3.8.
RESOURCES
3.8.1.
HUMAN RESOURCES
.. 33
3.8.2.
INFRASTRUCTURES
…34
4.
FINAL REMARKS
4.1.
SELF-ASSESSMENT
…35
4.2.
ESSENTIAL NEEDS
…36
4.3.
A FINAL COMMENT
…36
APPENDIXES
... 37
APPENDIX I: ICVS – Creation, Progression during 2002-2003, Goals and Challenges
APPENDIX II: Thesis under Development: Themes and Supervisors
APPENDIX III: Research Staff of ICVS |December 2003
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1.
INTRODUCTION
The Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS) is a fully incorporated
research structure within the new School of Health Sciences (ECS) of the University of
Minho (UM).
The ECS is being developed under a contract established with the Government in
February 2000, with the aim to provide adequate infrastructural support for a new and
innovative Medical Degree Programme, to be carried out in a research based
environment. The contract explicitly included the financing of a new building (which
includes an academic block of about 10 000 m2 and a research block of around 6 000
m2) and the equipments for the academic block. It was later agreed that a special
contract for the research unit and the equipments for the research block would be
signed later.
In this context and following the launching of the degree programme in October
2001, the years 2002-2003 were crucial for setting up the ICVS as a research unit
integrated in the national system of science and technology. Two main proposals were
formally submitted in early 2002 to the Foundation for Science and Technology for the
financing the ICVS. Specifically:
-
the financing of ICVS as a research unit integrated in the national system of
science and technology;
-
the financing of equipments for the research laboratories, aiming to establish an
infrastructure of “Shared Instruments Facilities” in partnership with research units of
the University of Minho in the areas of Biology, Physics Bioengineering and
Biotechnology.
Unfortunately, there were significant delays in the responses to these proposals:
both decisions have been postponed until now.
Even so, the School considered vital for its success the creation, from the very
beginning, of adequate research conditions. To achieve such goal, the School and the
University supported the development of appropriate laboratories in the provisional
buildings. These laboratories have a dual function: teaching and researching. In this
way, the academic staff could proceed with their research projects, overcoming in part
the usual difficulties of the initial phase of a new School and attract young researchers
to work with them. This approach meant a strong commitment of the School towards
research, since it was necessary to save in every possible way in current expenses
(including staff contracts), pushing the financial resources towards the preparation of
the laboratories and the acquisition of equipments.
Particular attention was devoted to the creation of the Animal Experimental
Facilities that are essential for all the priority research areas selected for the ICVS.
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Given this strategy it was possible to finish the preparation of such facilities, albeit
only in August 2002 (clean area), December 2002 (biosafety level 3) and November
2003 (biosafety level 3 accreditation).
In this way, when reading the present report it must be taken into consideration
that the years 2002 and 2003 were essentially the set up period for the research
activities at the ICVS. In spite of that, all members of the academic staff kept active in
research and a meaningful number of research students and post-doctoral fellows were
associated to the research projects. However, for the sake of coherency, it must also be
emphasized that a significant part of the scientific activities developed by most of the
ICVS staff members is yet associated with their research work outside the ICVS, both
in their original institutions or in collaborating laboratories.
2.
?
ORGANIZATION AND COORDINATION
The Life and Health Sciences Research Institute should have its own governing
bodies, according to the rules applied to the research units integrated in the national
system of Science and Technology, namely:
- Scientific Council;
- Director, that liaises with the Scientific Council;
- External Advisory Committee.
?
Meanwhile, and during the installation period, a Steering Committee (functionally
equivalent to the Scientific Council) and a Coordinating Committee were nominated.
The Steering Committee was formally designated by the Rector of the UM in October
2002. The present composition is therefore the following:
- Maria Cecília Lemos Pinto Estrela Leão, Director
- All ICVS members with a doctoral degree:
-
Adhemar Longatto Filho
-
António Gil Pereira de Castro
-
Armando Alberto Pinto de Almeida
-
Fátima Baltazar
-
Fernando José dos Santos Rodrigues
-
Isabel Maria Mestre Palmeirim Esteves
-
Joana de Almeida Santos Pacheco Palha
-
João Pedro Antunes Pereira
-
Jorge Correia Pinto
-
Jorge Manuel Rolo Pedrosa
-
Nuno Jorge Carvalho de Sousa
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-
Patrícia Espinheira Sá Maciel
-
Paula Cristina Ludovico
-
Raquel Andrade
-
Rui Manuel Vieira Reis
The Steering Committee meets on a monthly basis, concentrating its activities on
the (i) planning of the ICVS development, (ii) evaluation of the activities, (iii)
establishment of guidelines of the ICVS and (iv) reinforcement of the links within the
ICVS research groups and with other research institutions.
The Coordinating Committee was internally nominated in January 2003. Its
present composition is:
-
Maria Cecília Lemos Pinto Estrela Leão (Coordinator)
-
Jorge Pedrosa (Laboratory facilities, management and planning)
-
Nuno Sousa (Research activities)
-
Joana Palha (Post-graduation activities)
The Coordinating Committee meets on a weekly basis, concentrating its activities
on (i) monitoring the on-going activities and (ii) establishing the operating rules for the
shared equipment in order to guarantee its rational and optimal use and (iii)
determining the sharing of running expenses.
?
At the operational level, there are:
-
Coordination Groups of each of the major research areas that are
composed by the members of the area with doctoral degree;
?
-
Principal Investigators of the projects;
-
Coordinators for each laboratory.
The ICVS External Advisory Committee will be created as soon as the research
unit is formally created by the FCT. Meanwhile, the ICVS activities are being
accompanied by the External Advisory Committee of the School.
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3.
ACTIVITIES IN 2003
3.1.
PLANS AND STRATEGIES
From the very beginning it was defined that the main goal of ICVS should be to
undertake competitive interdisciplinary biological and biomedical research with impact
on health care.
At the same time, the ICVS, as a fully incorporated research structure within the
ECS, should also assure that their staff develops a full academic career, including a
strong involvement in research. The appropriate links between teaching and research
were established in order to provide a research-based teaching and learning environment
for undergraduate students.
The strategic research areas were defined taking into account prevalent health
problems in the region and synergetic complementarities with other research units
concerned with health sciences in the northern region of Portugal. In the initial proposal,
the following areas were selected: Clinical Mycology; Immunology; Genetic Diseases;
Neoplastic Diseases; Neurosciences; Developmental Diseases.
As the first research projects started to be developed under the coordination of the
teaching staff hired since 2001, a more aggregated organization was envisaged, joining
knowledge and expertise in wider areas. Therefore, at present the research activities of
ICVS are focused on three main research areas:
?
Infectious Diseases
?
Neurosciences
?
Development and Neoplasia
3.2.
RESEARCH ACTIVITIES
3.2.1. ONGOING RESEARCH AREAS, TEAMS AND RESULTS
A brief description of the above mentioned research areas, the projects that are
being developed in each of them and the corresponding teams are next presented. Some
of the ongoing projects were started outside the ICVS, both in the original institutions of
the ICVS members and in collaborating laboratories, but they are being transferred to
the ICVS as the appropriate conditions are available. Presently most of them are already
being developed at the ICVS laboratories.
A.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
The infectious diseases team is presently composed of 6 PhDs, 4 research
assistants (4 B.Sc.’s), 3 Master student (3 B.Sc.’s), and 3 PhD students (3 B.Sc.’s).
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Immunobiological studies of Virulence-Associated Immunomodulatory Proteins (VIP) secreted by
mycobacteria
We tested 3 strains of Mycobacterium avium with different degrees of virulence for
mice: M. avium 25291 > 2447 > 3509 and found that their in vitro growth rates inversely
correlate with their capacity for infecting mice. We measured up-regulation of activation
markers CD69 and CD25 in lymphocytes in vitro in response to culture filtrate proteins
(CFP) of M. avium 25291. We also observed that mice treated with CFP from this strain
produce higher levels of IL-10, as compared to mice treated with CFP from M. avium
3509. Preliminary results also indicate that macrophages from IL-10 KO mice have an
enhanced capacity to control M. avium 25291 proliferation. We are currently analyzing
the CFP of M. avium 25291 in order to identify and clone candidate VIP.
Biology of infection in mycobacteriosis of difficult treatment- Buruli Ulcer
Work by other groups has shown that mycolactone-enriched acetone-soluble lipids
(ASLs) from several strains of M. ulcerans have different degrees of CPA, and the
virulence of each strain was ranked according to the respective CPA value. However,
animal models have not been explored to characterize the in vivo activity of such clinical
isolates of M. ulcerans.
We carried out a comparative analysis of the virulence of 4 M. ulcerans strains of
different origins and different CPAs, using the footpad mouse model. Our data showed
that there is not a correlation between the CPAs described and virulence. Additionally,
histopathological analysis showed that all strains of M. ulcerans induce an acute
inflammatory response with a predominance of neutrophils. Later during the infection,
the low virulent strains induce a histiocytic infiltrate with granuloma formation. On the
other hand, virulent strains induce ulceration associated with apoptosis and massive
tissue necrosis. Preliminary data obtained from infection of macrophages in vitro showed
that M. ulcerans can have an intracellular growth phase. We also observed that low
virulent strains, but not the high virulent ones, induce the production of high levels of
TNF-α. At the present we are carrying out experiments to better elucidate the cellular
and molecular mechanisms underlying resistance or susceptibility to M. ulcerans.
Expression and Activation of murine Toll-like receptors in B lymphocytes
We showed that activation of mature B lymphocytes by TLRs induces activation
markers and co-stimulatory molecules, clonal expansion and differentiation. In addition,
TLR expression in B lymphocytes is tightly controlled, even at the level of allele usage.
However, the role played by TLR activation in B cells during infection is not yet fully
understood and will be addressed.
The Immune Response to Allografts: Role of Anti-inflammatory Cytokines
We are characterizing two lines of transgenic mice, generated by Gil Castro, that
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express either IL-10 or IL-4 under the control of a Zinc-inducible promoter. So far we
measured up-regulation of IL-10 and IL-4 in the serum, brain and thyroid of mice fed
with ZnSO4 in the drinking water. Expression of these two cytokines in the thyroid is
extremely relevant, since this organ will be used to perform allotransplantion. These
transgenic mice will be used as donors and recipients of transgenic and wild type
organs, respectively. The biological relevance of local cytokine production will thus be
evaluated.
Development of drug delivery systems for the treatment of mycobaceriosis
Therapeutic systems for delivering anti-mycobacterial drugs to macrophages are
being developed by collaborator laboratories. We will assess the effect of administration
of different types of liposomes, different doses and treatment schedules in mouse models
of mycobacteriosis.
Fungal infections
?
Steroid hormones and paracoccidioidomycosis
Paracoccidioides brasiliensis, a dimorphic fungus, is the causative agent of the
prevalent systemic mycoses in Latin America, paracoccidioidomycosis. To get expertise
with biosafety level 3 practices, one of our PhD students has recently concluded a
training period (4 months) in the Medical and Experimental Mycology Group of
"Corporatión para Investigaciones Biológicas" in Colombia, with Professor Angela
Restrepo. In the last month, a genomic library was constructed in an Escherichia coli
plasmid to isolate autonomous replicating sequences. Additionally, and since clinical
paracoccidioidomycosis is 13 times more common in men that in women, we are at
present constructing a subtractive cDNA library from the inhibition of the transition of
mycelia (saprophyte form) to yeast (parasitic form) due to 17 β-estradiol.
?
Dermatophytosis
Epidemiology and therapy: We carried out a retrospective study of dermatophytosis
infection, from January 1983 to December 2002, in Braga region (São Marcos Hospital)
to achieve the etiology and frequency of dermatophyte infections. The results shown that
Trichophyton rubrum was the highest prevalent agent (37.4%), followed by Microsporum
canis (25.0%). As expected, from the overall economic, social and living conditions
changes occurred in the District of Braga during the last twenty years an alteration of
the dermatophyte prevalence patterns was observed in this study.
Research has also been focusing in the potential utilization of ethanol and acetic
acid has antifungal agents. The results obtained with Candida species (C. albicans, C.
Krusei and C. glabrata) have shown that the two agents studied induce a severe
alteration in cell cycle progression and an impaired mitochondrial function. The work to
be developed will clarify the relation of cell death process (active vs passive) induced by
acetic acid and ethanol and the different profile of resistance/susceptibility observed
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among the three species studied. Additionally, and in the scope of this project the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been used as a model to define the cellular/molecular
targets of anti-fungal drugs such as ciclopirox olamine and undecylenic acid. The toxic
effects of these two drugs were evaluated in the cell cycle progression, reactive oxygen
species production, mitochondrial function/integrity and cell death process. Our results
suggested that ciclopirox olamine induces a programmed cell death process while the
death profile induced by undecylenic acid is compatible with a necrotic process.
Moreover, the results obtained reinforce the utilization of S. cerevisiae as an excellent
model system for the identification of drug targets and therefore further contributes to
the elucidation of mechanisms of resistance observed in pathogenic fungi.
?
Susceptibility of immunocompromised patients to systemic mycoses
Risk factors analysis: We aimed with this project to examine the epidemiology of
systemic fungal infections in malignancy patients in Portugal, together with the
identification of human genetic predisposition markers for these infections. In this last
year, we contacted several hospital centres and their clinicians in order to collect
samples to start this project.
Exploitation of yeast as a model to study mitochondrial and lisosomal associated diseases
?
Cytochrome c oxidase deficiency and mitochondrial neuromyopathies
We are collecting and analysing samples from Hospital Geral de Santo António-
Porto, Instituto de Genética Médica Dr. Jacinto de Magalhães-Porto and the Department
of Neurology from John Macdonald Foundation-Center for Medical Genetics in the
University of Miami. The molecular analysis of muscle biopsies from patients with
specific cytocrome c oxidase deficiency revealed, among different patients, distinct
patterns concerning the steady state levels of different cytochrome c oxidase subunits.
At the same time S. cerevisiae has been used as a model for the study of cytochrome c
oxidase assembly. Cytochrome c oxidase subunit II mutant was shown to be sensitive to
death induced by different stimuli. We are at the moment deeply studying the role of
cytochrome c oxidase complex and signalling of the downstream mitochondria
programmed cell death pathway.
?
Oxidative stress in the yeast model of Batten’s disease
S. cerevisiae BTN1 gene is homologue and functionally equivalent to the human
CLN3 gene, associated with Batten’s disease. Our results showed that yeast lacking
Btn1p display a resistance phenotype to imposed oxidative stress when compared to the
wild type strain, namely by the pro-oxidant agents hydrogen peroxide and menadione.
The antioxidant enzymes, catalase, glucose 6-phosfate dehydrogenase, cytosolic and
mitochondrial superoxide dismutases as well as glutathione seem not to be involved in
the resistance phenotype of the mutant strain. Research is currently focusing on the
possible involvement of down regulation of the expression of the gene YNL305c that
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shows homology with the mice N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate-binding receptor.
B.
NEUROSCIENCES
The neuroscience team is presently composed of 3 PhDs, 1 MD PhD, 15 research
assistants (10 MDs and 5 B.Sc.’s), 1 Master student (BSc.’s), 11 PhD students (2 MDs, 9
BSc.’s).
Neuroendocrinology: neurobiology of stress-behaviour and structural correlates; hypothyroidism and
progeny psychomotor development
?
Stress (corticosteroid milieu) and cognition.
We characterized the changes in behavioural profile following imbalances of the
corticosteroid milieu and identified decreased locomotor and exploratory activity, signs of
anxiety
and
depression-like
traits,
spatial
and
working
memory
deficits
in
dexamethasone-treated rats.
We performed in vivo ultrahigh-field magnetic resonance and stereological
evaluation of the structure of the limbic brain and identified volumetric reductions and
neuronal losses in the prefrontal cortex and amygdala in hypercortisolemic conditions,
but no structural changes in the nucleus accumbens and retrosplenial cortex. The
behaviour study of offsprings following in utero treatment with different ligands of
corticosteroids revealed signs of increased anxiety following dexamethasone, but not
corticosterone treatment. Our study of specific ligands of CRF receptors in anxietybehavior demonstrated increased anxiety-traits in animals treated with urocortin – a
CRF2 ligand.
Through topographic analysis of neurogenesis and neuronal apoptosis in the
hippocampus
in
normal
conditions
and
following
mineralocorticoid
receptor
unoccupancy we have demonstrated increased granule cell turnover in adrenalectomized
animals.
Analysis of the in vivo neurochemical profile of hippocampal metabolites in
dexamethasone treated animals revealed increased glutamate in parallel with reduced
glucose levels in the hippocampus.
In addition, we evaluated the role of stress as a predisposing factor for Alzheimer’s
disease and temporal lobe epilepsy. Alzheimer’s disease: upon combined treatment of ß–
amyloid and dexamethasone, the behavioural study revealed that cognitive deficits
induced by stress were aggravated by ß–amyloid and dexamethasone treatment; the
expression of different epitopes of tau phosphorylation was increased in these animals.
Temporal lobe epilepsy: genetic, behavioural and function studies in association with
febrile convulsions are currently being performed.
?
Pharmacological interventions modulating corticosteroid-induced neurodegeneration
and neurogenesis.
Results obtained during 2003 showed the role of different glutamatergic receptors
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in the neurodegenerative process induced by glucocorticoid receptor activation: both
iGluR and mGluR mediate the neurotoxic effects of glucocorticoids on hippocampal cells,
whereas pre-treatment with low-doses of NMDA, by acting on synaptic and extrasynaptic
receptors, promotes neuroprotection
We studied the role of lithium as a modulator of granule cell turnover, showing
that treatment with lithium resulted in increased neurogenesis but did not affect
neuronal apoptosis, either in normal conditions or following adrenalectomy.
?
Transthyretin (TTR), thyroid hormone homeostasis, lipid metabolism and behaviour
We described that, in opposition to the most prevalent theories in this field, TTR
(the major rodent serum and cerebrospinal fluid thyroxine carrier) is not necessary for
thyroid hormone homeostasis in conditions of physiological and pathological increased
hormone demand: exposure to cold and thyroidectomy, respectively.
Using TTR-null mice, we described, for the first time, that in the absence of this
protein mice display increased locomotor activity and decreased depression-like
behaviour, which might be related with the increased levels of norephinephrine present
in the limbic forebrain. In addition, the amygdala of the TTR-null mice shows atrophy
and neuronal loss in spite of signs of increased synaptic plasticity.
Preliminary studies suggest that mice lacking TTR have altered lipid metabolism
and diabetic-like behaviour, as inferred from altered tolerance to glucose, insulin and fat
administration, and by the altered levels of circulating lipids.
?
Characterization of the iodine status of pregnant women in the Minho district
Minho is the district with highest birth rate in Europe; we have collected blood and
urine from about 50 women (all trimesters of pregnancy) and 10 newborns; our
preliminary data show thyroid hormone impairment in some of the pregnant women.
Motor and intellectual performance of the newborns will be followed for a period of 2
years. The data is being compared and integrated in a European network.
Mechanisms of chronic and acute pain and endogenous pain control pathways
?
Noxious stimulation of the larynx
Our study showed that peripheral fibers in the larynx mucosa, which are
immunorreactive to neuronal markers of sensory nerves, reach the epithelium from the
"lamina propria" of the mucosa and terminate between the cilia of the external epithelial
cell layer. These data indicate that: (1) primary afferents in the larynx can be directly
activated by noxious and inflammatory substances; (2) this organ can constitute a model
for studying the peripheral inflammatory mechanisms involving the sensitization of
nociceptors.
?
Encephalic connections of brain centers implicated both in limbic (“emotional”) or
stress physiology and pain modulation
The administration of retrograde tracers to the (1) central amygdaloid nucleus of
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the amygdala (AMY) or (2) paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) showed that a
large spectrum of brain areas involved in sensitive, motor, autonomic and pain
processing functions project to both the AMY (limbic system) and / or PVN (stress
response).
?
Analgesic action triggered by a chronic unpredictable stress model
The maintenance of high levels of corticosteroids during the time used by a model
of chronic (1 month) unpredictable (one of several possibilities each day) resulted in a
very strong increase in pain-like tolerance to a noxious stimulus applied to the rat tail 3
times in a row with a minute interval between them (tail-flick test). Data suggest that
opioids (and not corticosteroids) may be responsible for these changes in pain tolerance
induced by chronic stress.
Genetics and biochemistry of psychiatric and neurological disorders
?
Schizophrenia
We described altered levels of circulating thyroid hormones in schizophrenic
patients and no alteration of the thyroxine carrier, transthyretin (TTR), in the plasma or
cerebrospinal fluid of schizophrenic patients. Searching for polymorphisms in candidate
genes, we found a new polymorphism in TTR that does not seem to be associated with
the disease. We did not find in our Portuguese and Brasilian shizophrenic populations
any of the mutations described by other groups in the nuclear receptor Nurr1 in patients
with schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. In addition, we found two novel
polymorphic markers in the prostaglandin D2 synthase gene, which are now being
tested for association with schizophrenia.
?
Hereditary movement disorders
We found no mutations in the genes PRNP, Junctophilin-3, TBP, DRPLA, CBP and
identified eight individuals with sequence variants (pathogenicity to be confirmed) in the
N-OCT-3 gene, as well as one mutation in the FTL gene (see below) in a sample of 95
patients with a clinical presentation similar to Huntington disease but without an
expansion of the CAG repeat on the HD gene (Huntington-like).
We identified a novel missense mutation inn the FTL gene (Ferritin Light
polypetide) in a patient of the Huntington-like patient sample, demonstrated its absence
from a control population and performed a detailed clinical, genetic, biochemical and
neuroimaging study of the patient and his family.
We characterized the distribution of the (CAG)n repeat in the HD gene in a large
sample of the Portuguese population.
We identified a new mutation on the TITF1 gene (Thyroid Transcription Factor 1) in
two patients presenting Benign Chorea (mother and son) and performed a detailed
clinical, biochemical and neuroimaging study of the patient and his family.
?
Machado-Joseph disease
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We cloned the mouse homologue gene of the Machado-Joseph disease (Mjd) that
encodes mouse ataxin-3. We performed the determination of its genomic structure and
studied the expression pattern of mouse ataxin-3, during embryonic development and in
the adult stage. We produced recombinant mouse ataxin-3 by expression in E.coli and
produced a polyclonal antibody that recognizes it.
Using bioinformatics we characterized the mouse Mjd gene promoter region; and
identified potential binding regions for certain transcription factors, namely, MyoD, Brn2, E47 and SP1, which are conserved in human and mouse. We functionally
characterized the promoter using plasmids carrying different lengths of the 5’ region
fused with the CAT reporter gene in both undifferentiated and differentiated P19 cells
(neurons and myocytes).
We generated a new cDNA transgenic mouse model of the Machado-Joseph disease
and established two founder lineages for this model, one that has a single copy of the
transgene, another with multiple copies (8-12). We have confirmed expression of the
mutant protein in the CNS of the animals. The biochemical and phenotypic studies in
heterozygous animals with 6 months of age from the single-copy line revealed no
abnormalities at this age.
?
Rett syndrome
Mutation screening of the complete coding region of the MECP2 gene in 120
Portuguese patients with clinical diagnosis of Rett syndrome revealed the presence of
mutations in approximately half of the patients.
We cloned regions of the 3’UTR of the MECP2 gene that are highly conserved
among species in order to study their ability to (1) direct polyadenylation and/or (2) bind
regulatory proteins in cellular extracts.
Mutation screening of the 3’UTR of the MECP2 gene in 70 Portuguese patients with
clinical diagnosis of Rett syndrome and 200 autism patients (collaboration with Dr
Astrid Vicente, IGC, and Dr Steve Sommer, USA), showed the presence of sequence
variants that are currently being further characterized.
C.
DEVELOPMENT AND NEOPLASIA
The development team is presently composed of 2 PhDs, 4 MD PhD, 6 research
assistants (4 MDs and 2 B.Sc.’s), 7 Master student (5MDs, 2 B.Sc.’s), 7 PhD students (2
MD, 5 B.Sc.’s).
Calcium regulatory proteins in an experimental model of pulmonary hypertension
These studies showed that in chronic pulmonary hypertension, impaired left
ventricular (LV) function cannot be interpreted as a hemodynamic consequence of LV
preload
reduction
and
increase
ventricular
diastolic
interaction.
In
fact,
we
demonstrated that in pulmonary hypertension there is a precocious decrease of LV
diastolic tolerance to afterload, which is accompanied by expression of the fetal pattern
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of myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms, whereas expression of SERCA2a and
phospholamban (PLB) only presents changes at the transcriptional level. Load dependent
myocardial relaxation and increased β-MHC preceded systolic dysfunction and SERCA2a
and PLB down-regulation.
Fetal correlation between cardiac and lung growth in congenital diaphragmatic hernia
These studies demonstrated that the ‘two hit hypothesis’, recently suggested to
explain antenatal lung hypoplasia in congenital diaphragmatic hernia are not valid to
explain heart hypoplasia in this model. In fact, nonmechanical factors play a role in the
pathogenesis of lung and heart hypoplasia manifested precociously in fetal life, whereas
mechanical compression might influence only lung growth during late gestation. Thus,
heart weight predicts lung weight only in early gestation. Consequently, we purpose that
fetal echocardiography evaluation might have prognostic significance, whereas at endgestation echocardiography evaluation has limited interest to estimate prognosis.
Ghrelin gene expression during fetal rat cardio-pulmonar development
In rat and human, we demonstrated that ghrelin gene/protein expression is
evident in neuroendocrine cells since embryonic lung development stage reaching
maximal expression in pseudoglandular stage. In humans, the number of cells
producing ghrelin does not seem to be significantly reduced in lung of fetuses with
congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Additionally, we had opportunity to show that
there is also significant ghrelin gene expression during fetal cardiac development.
Fetal pharmacological treatment of lung hypoplasia in congenital diaphragmatic hernia
We tested the hypothesis that antenatal medical treatment either with vitamin A or
ghrelin could be beneficial to reduce lung hypoplasia in experimental congenital
diaphragmatic hernia. Vitamin A attenuates lung hypoplasia in CDH by interfering with
early acting non-mechanical factors. In humans, prenatal diagnosis occurs late in
gestation, but we could not demonstrate the benefit of late administration of vitamin A
for lung development in CDH. In contrast, antenatal exogenous administration of ghrelin
specifically increased lung parenchyma in experimental CDH.
Property of medial presomitic mesoderm (PSM) cells to segment autonomously
By performing series of in ovo quail-chick homotopic and heterotopic grafts, as well
as in ovo insertion of barriers and in ovo tissue ablations, we determined: (1) that the
lateral prospective somitic domain is located in the 100 - 150 µm most caudal part of
sinus rhomboidalis; (2) that the removal of the prospective lateral PSM territory does not
affect segmentation, but, in contrast, segmentation is arrested in embryos from which
the prospective medial PSM territory has been removed; (3) that the prospective lateral
PSM cells grafted into the medial prospective territory acquired the capacity to drive
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Annual Report
2003
segmentation, suggesting that the environment is determinant for medial prospective
cells to acquire the autonomy for segmentation; (4) that the insertion of an impermeable
tantalum barrier between the neural tube and the most caudal part of the PSM did not
perturb segmentation. These results lead us to propose that medial prospective somitic
cells under the influence of an unknown signal arising from the median pit acquire their
intrinsic capacity for segmentation and then instruct more lateral ones in the process of
somite formation.
Subtraction screening to identify medial presomitic mesoderm genes
In order to elucidate the molecular mechanism that confers segmentation
autonomy to the Medial-PSM cells, we have performed a subtraction screening of cDNA
libraries from Medial- versus Lateral-PSM. Several new genes were identified and their
role in somitogenesis is being studied.
Characterisation of the molecular clock components by using the yeast Two-Hybrid technology
The yeast two-hybrid system is being employed to identify hairy1 interaction
partners and elucidate its function and regulation, namely in the “Molecular Clock”
linked to vertebrate segmentation and somitogenesis. During this year DNA-BD fusions
have been created using the whole hairy1 gene as well as multiple fragments encoding
domains of the protein presenting different properties and specificities. RNA has been
extracted from multiple parts of the chick embryo as well as from whole embryos in
different developmental stages. This RNA has been analysed in search of multiple
mRNAs, and characterisation of their UTRs has been performed. Moreover, the different
RNA samples are being used to generate cDNA-AD fusion libraries for the two-hybrid
screens underway.
The molecular clock is operating during limb bud development
We analyzed the expression pattern of the hairy2 gene (known to be a part of the
molecular clock controlling somitogenesis) during limb bud development. Our results
suggest that hairy2 could be involved in limb bud initiation, apical ectodermal ridge and
zone of polarizing activity formation. Furthermore, we experimentally identified a
temporal variation in the expression of hairy2 in the progress zone (proximal-distal
variation) and, surprisingly, also in the mesenchymal masses comprising muscle, tendon
and connective tissue precursors (dorsal-ventral variation). Our results suggest that the
molecular clock described for somitogenesis is also providing positional information to
limb cells.
Analysis of myopithelial component role in breast cancer development
We analysed the distribution of p63, CK 5/6 and CK 14 immunohistochemical
markers in 51 normal human tissue samples, 350 carcinomas, 25 malignant melanomas
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Annual Report
2003
(MMs), and 25 glioblastomas using three serial sections of tissue array research program
(TARP)-4 multi-tumour tissue array. Also, we performed double immunostaining to
characterize the differential distribution of p63/CK 5/6 and p63/CK 14 in normal
breast, salivary gland and skin. p63, CK 5/6 and CK 14 were expressed in basal cells of
the prostate and respiratory epithelia and in breast and bronchial myoepithelial cells.
p63 was also expressed in cytotrophoblast cells of human placenta and in scattered cells
of lymph node germinal centre. CK 5/6 and CK 14 also stained the cytoplasm of basal
cells of esophageal-stratified squamous epithelium and transitional epithelial cells of the
bladder. No mesenchymal, neural, endothelial, smooth muscle or adipose cells were
stained by any of the markers. p63, CK 5/6, and CK 14 were respectively expressed in
92.6%, 75.0%, and 52.9% of the squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, 10.2%, 20.0%,
and 7.4% of the ductal carcinomas of the breast, 12.9%, 34.4%, and 11.8% of the serous
and 25.0%, 0%, and 0% of the endometrioid carcinomas of the ovary. Lungs, prostate
and colonic adenocarcinomas, as well as MMs and glioblastomas, were only rarely
decorated by one of the markers. Only matched samples of 16 squamous cell carcinomas
and two ductal carcinomas of the breast co-expressed these three markers. In double
immunostainings, p63-CK 5/6, as well as p63-CK 14 were co-expressed by
basal/myoepithelial cells of the salivary glands and basal cells of the epidermis.
Analysis of DNA repair gene polymorphisms in a group of breast cancer patients from Portuguese origin
We analyzed DNA samples from 259 individuals: 84 Portuguese familiar breast
cancer patients, 81 Portuguese control subjects, 64 Brazilian familiar breast cancer
patients and 30 Brazilian control subjects, for XRCC1-Arg399Gln, XPD-Lys751Gln,
XRCC3-Thr241Met and RAD51-G135C polymorphisms using PCR-RFLP. We observed
that allelic and genotypic frequencies of all polymorphisms were similar to Portuguese
and Brazilian controls. In the Portuguese group we found significant statistical
differences in XRCC3-241Met allele frequencies between familiar breast cancer patients
and control group (p=0,007; OR=2,04 95%CI 1,17-3,57), and also in the XRCC3Met241Met genotype (p=0,005; OR=5,29 95% CI 1,47-19,1). In XPD-751Lys allele and
XPD-Lys751Lys genotype frequencies there were significant statistical differences
(p=0,043; OR=1,59 95%CI 0,99-2,57; and, p=0,015; OR= 0,45 95% CI 0,24-0,86,
respectively). In the Brazilian group we observed significant statistical differences
between familiar breast cancer patients and control group in XRCC3-241Met allele
frequencies (p=0,048; OR=2,55 95%CI 0,92-7,40) and XRCC3-Thr241Thr genotype
(p=0,034; OR=0,26 95% CI 0,07-0,96).
Study of lymphangiogenesis in breast cancer
A retrospective series of randomised cases was submitted to immunohistochemical
assay with polyclonal VEGFR-3 antibody at 1:200. The reactions were classified as:
negative (-), weak staining (+) (less than 10%), moderate staining (++) (10-50%) and
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Annual Report
2003
strong staining (+++) (more than 50%). From 38 cases, 11 (29,9%) were (+), 18 (47,3%)
and 9 (23,68%) (+++).
Interestingly, the VEGFR-3 has marked lymphatic vessels (LV), but also blood
vessels (BV) and myoepithelial cells. Our preliminary approach with lymphangiogenesis
marker clearly demonstrated that VEGFR-3 lack LV specificity, or also is expressed in
BV and myoepithelial cells under neoplastic conditions. Further assay is intended to
clarify this puzzling point using other markers for lymphatic vessels such as Prox-1.
Analysis of receptor tyrosine kinases alterations in gliomas and breast tumors
In collaboration with the Hospital São João, Porto, we collected a glioma series.
After tumour classification re-validation we have done DNA extraction from 137 paraffin
embedded samples. We have also collected 89 invasive breast carcinomas. All cases were
analysed
for
PDGFA
and
PDGFRα
protein
expression.
Results
of
these
immunohistochemistry works are being evaluated and scored. From 88 glioma cases we
are also performing mutation analysis of PDGFRa gene (exons 12 and 18) by polymerase
chain reaction-single-strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP). Seventeen cases
showed mobility shift in the PCR-SSCP and are being DNA sequenced.
Study of molecular alterations predictive of therapy in malignant gliomas
We have performed mutation analysis of BRAF gene in 88 glioma cases. The
screening of exon 15 showed the presence of a constitutive mutation, V599E in 4% of
the cases. We are currently assessing the mutation status of exon 11. In addition we are
setting-up the immunohistochemistry for EGFRT (III) antibody.
3.2.2. EXTERNAL FUNDING
Cellular and molecular studies in the pathogenic fungi Paracoccidioides brasiliensis:
1.
Dimorphism and its regulation by steroid hormones
a. Funding Agency: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT)
b. Funding for the ICVS team: 61 980 Euros
c. Host Institution: ICVS / University of Minho
d. Duration: 2003-2006
e. ICVS team: Fernando Rodrigues (PI), Cecília Leão, Agostinho Almeida, Margarida
Martins
2.
Molecules and mechanisms involved in the recognition of molecular patterns of
pathogenic microorganims: Implications for the susceptibility to relevant public
health infections
a. Funding Agency: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (FCG)
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Annual Report
2003
e. ICVS team: Cecília Leão (PI), Fernando Rodrigues, Paula Ludovico, Jorge Pedrosa,
Gil Castro, João Pedro Pereira, Agostinho Carvalho, Gustavo Valdigem
3.
Cognitive modulation of pain: interaction between the limbic system and the
supraspinal endogenous pain control system
c. Host Institution: ICVS/University of Minho
e. ICVS team: Armando Almeida (PI), Nuno Sousa, Filipa Pinto-Ribeiro, Manuel LimaRodrigues, José Miguel Pêgo, João Cerqueira
4.
Experimental
evaluation
of
an
antimycobacterial-drug
delivery
system
to
M.
tuberculosis infected macrophages
a. Funding Agency: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
c. Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, University of Oporto
e. ICVS team: Jorge Pedrosa (PI), Manuel Teixeira da Silva, Martinha Oliveira
5.
Mycobacteriosis of difficult treatment (multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and Buruli
ulcer): Impact in public health
a. Funding Agency: Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian
c. Host Institution: Universidade do Minho
e. ICVS team: Jorge Pedrosa (PI), Manuel Teixeira da Silva, Martinha Oliveira, António
Gil Castro
6.
The immune response to allografts: role of anti-inflammatory cytokines
c. Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia Molecular e Celular, Universidade do Porto
e. ICVS team: António Gil Castro (PI), Sílvia Mota
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Annual Report
2003
7.
New aspects on coordinating limb bud development
a. Funding Agency: Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia
e. ICVS team: Isabel Palmeirim (PI), Susana Pascoal
8.
Genetics and hormones in schizophrenia: thyroid hormones, vitamin A and
transthyretin. A pilot study
c. Host Institution: Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto
e. ICVS team: Joana Almeida Palha (PI) and Dina Ruano
9.
Searching of an essential function for transthyretin in the central nervous system
c. Host Institution: Institute for Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Porto
e. ICVS team: Joana Almeida Palha (PI), Fernanda Marques, João Carlos Sousa
3.3.
SCIENTIFIC PRODUCTION BY THE ICVS MEMBERS
As mentioned before, the activities of the ICVS started only in middle 2002.
Therefore most of the scientific publications associated with the ICVS staff members
listed below include results obtained outside the ICVS, both in the original institutions of
the ICVS members or in collaborating laboratories.
3.3.1. INTERNATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
A.
Articles
1. Alizadeh M, Babron MC, Birebent B, Matsuda F, Quelvennec E, Liblau R,
Cournu-Rebeix I, Momigliano-Richiardi P, Sequeiros J, Yaouanq J, Genin E,
Vasilescu A, Bougerie H, Trojano M, Martins Silva B, Maciel P, ClergetDarpoux F, Clanet M, Edan G, Fontaine B, Semana G. Genetic interaction of
CTLA-4 with HLA-DR15 in multiple sclerosis patients. Ann. Neurol., 54:11922 (2003).
2. Araujo C, Sousa MJ, Ferreira MF, Leao C. Activity of essential oils from
Mediterranean Lamiaceae species against food spoilage yeasts. J. Food Prot.,
20
Annual Report
2003
66:625-632 (2003).
3. Baptista MJ, Melo-Rocha G, Pedrosa C, Gonzaga S, Areias JC, Flake AW,
Leite-Moreira AF, Correia-Pinto J. Antenatal Vitamin A administration
attenuates
lung
hypoplasia
by
interfering
with
early
instead
late
determinants of lung underdevelopment in CDH. J. Pediatr. Surg., in press.
4. Barreirinho S, Ferro A, Santos M, Costa E, Pinto-Basto J, Sousa A, Sequeiros
J, Maciel P, Barbot C, and Barbot J. Inherited and acquired risk factors and
their combined effects in pediatric stroke. Pediatr. Neurol., 28:134-138 (2003).
5. Cano G, Milanezi F, Leitão D, Ricardo S, Brito MJ, Schmitt FC. Estimation
of hormone receptor status in fine-needle aspirates and paraffin-embedded
sections from breast cancer using the novel rabbit monoclonal antibodies SP1
and SP2. Diag. Cytopath., 29:207-211 (2003).
6. Cobos A, Lima D, Almeida A, Tavares I. Brain afferents to the lateral caudal
ventrolateral medulla: a retrograde and anterograde tracing study in the rat.
Neuroscience, 120:485-498 (2003).
7. Correia-Pinto J, Baptista MJ, Pedrosa C, Estêvão-Costa J, Flake AW, LeiteMoreira AF. The Fetal heart development in the nitrofen-induced CDH rat
model: the role of mechanical and non-mechanical factors. J. Pediatric Surg.,
38:1444-1451 (2003).
8. Correia-Pinto J, Henriques-Coelho T, Magalhães S, Leite-Moreira AF. Pattern
of right ventricular pressure fall and its modulation by afterload. Physiol. Res.,
in press.
9. Correia-Pinto J, Henriques-Coelho T, Oliveira S-M, Leite-Moreira AF. Distinct
load dependence of relaxation rate and diastolic function in Oryctolagus
cuniculus and Ratus norvegicus. J. Comp. Physiol. B., 173:401-407 (2003).
10. Correia-Pinto J, Leite-Moreira AF, Henriques-Coelho T, Magalhães S,
Gillebert TC. Beat-to-beat modulation of right and left ventricular positive
dP/dt by afterload. Implications for the evaluation of inotropy. Acta
Cardiologica, 58:327-334 (2003).
11. Costa MC, Guimarães L, Ferreirinha F, Sousa A, Maciel P, Sequeiros J.
Molecular diagnosis of Huntington disease. Eur. J. Hum. Genet., 11:872-878
(2003).
12. Dugast C, Almeida A, Lima D. The medullary dorsal reticular nucleus (DRt)
enhances the responsiveness of spinal nociceptive neurons to peripheral
stimulation in the rat. Eur. J. Neurosci., 18:580-588 (2003).
13. Estêvão-Costa J, Correia-Pinto J, Soares-Oliveira M, Carvalho JL. Neonatal
Splenic Necrosis Not Related to Wandering Spleen. Eur. J. Pediatric Surg., 13:
344-346 (2003).
14. Fragoso A, Correia-Pinto J, Carvalho JL, Dias JA, Troncoso MP, Estêvão-
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Annual Report
2003
Costa J. Ectopic pancreas and foveolar hyperplasia in a newborn: an unifying
etiopathogeny for gastric outlet obstruction. J. Pediatric Gastroent. Nutrition, in
press.
15. Freitas C, Rodrigues S, Palmeirim I. "Running after the clock". Int. J. Devel.
Biol., in press.
16. Lima-Rodrigues M, Nunes R, Almeida A. Intraepithelial nerve fibers project
into the lumen of the larynx. Laryngoscope, in press.
17. Lu J, Goula D, Sousa N, Almeida OFX. Glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis in
hippocampal cells is mediated by ionotropic and metabotropic glutamate
receptors but can be prevented by synaptic NMDA receptors. Neuroscience,
121:123-131 (2003).
18. Ludovico P, Sansonetty F, Silva MT, Corte-Real M. Acetic acid induces a
programmed
cell
death
process
in
the
food
spoilage
yeast
Zygosaccharomyces bailii. FEM Yeast Res., 3:91-96 (2003).
19. Maciel P, Yan J, Feng J, Accurso F, and Sommer S. Single-tube method for
determination of F508del genotype in the CFTR gene using bidirectional PCR
amplification of specific alleles. Biotechniques, 34:460-462 (2003).
20. Maciel P. Genetics of Rett syndrome: unanswered questions. Rev Neurol, in
press.
21. Monteiro MC, Gonçalves MJ, Sansonetty F, Martínez M, O’Connor J.E.
Aplicación de la citometría de flujo funcional a la monitorización del
tratamiento antiplaquetario: Movilización de Ca2+ y expresión de P-selectina
en sujetos tratados con ticlopidina. Rev. Diag. Biol., in press.
22. Reis RM, Lopes JM. Genetic Alterations of adult and paediatric astrocytic
tumours. Rev. Neurol., in press.
23. Reis-Filho JS, Fulford LG, Lakhani SR, Schmitt, FC. A 62-year-old woman
with a 4.5cm nodule in the right breast. Arch. Pathol. Lab. Med., 127:396-398
(2003).
24. Reis-Filho JS, Milanezi F, Amendoeira I, Albergaria A, Schmitt FC.
Distribution of p63, a novel myoepithelial marker, in fine-needle aspiration
biopsies of the breast. An analysis of 82 samples. Cancer (Cancer Cytopahtol),
99:172-179 (2003).
25. Reis-Filho JS, Milanezi F, Paredes J, Silva P, Pereira EM, Maeda S, Carvalho
LV, Schmitt FC. Novel and classic myoepithelial/stem cell markers in
metaplastic carcinoma of the breast. Appl. Immunohistoch & Mol. Morpholol.,
11:1-8 (2003).
26. Reis-Filho JS, Schmitt FC. Lymphangiogenesis in tumors: what do we
know? Microsc. Res. Tech., 60:171-180 (2003).
27. Reis-Filho JS, Schmitt FC. p63 expression in sarcomatoid/metaplastic
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Annual Report
2003
carcinomas of breast. Histopathol., 42:94-95 (2003).
28. Reis-Filho JS, Simpson PT, Martins A, Preto A, Gartner F, Schmitt FC.
Distribution of p63, cytokeratins 5/6 and cytokeratin 14 in 51 normal and
400 neoplastic human tissue samples using TARP-4 multi-tumor tissue
microarray. Virchows Arch., 443:122-132 (2003).
29. Rodrigues F, Ludovico P, Sousa MJ, Steensma HY, Corte-Real M, Leão C.
The spoilage yeast Zygosaccharomyces bailii forms mitotic spores: A
screening method for haploidization. Appl. Environ. Microbiol., 69:649-653
(2003).
30. Rodrigues F, Zeeman A-M, Cardoso H, Sousa MJ, Steensma HY, Corte-Real
M, Leão C. Isolation of an acetyl-CoA synthetase gene (ZbACS2) from
Zygosaccharomyces bailii. Yeast, in press.
31. Ruano D, Macedo A, Dourado A, Soares MJ, Valente J, Coelho I, Santos V,
Azevedo, MH, Goodman A, Hutz M, Gama C, Lobato MI, Belmonte-de-Abreu
P,
Palha JA.
NR4A2 and schizophrenia: lack of association in a
Portuguese/Brazilian study. Am. J. Med. Genet., in press.
32. Santos M, Pinto-Basto J, Rio ME, Sá MJ, Valença A, Sá A, Dinis J, Figueiredo
J, Bigotte de Almeida L, Coelho I, Sawcer S, Setakis E, Compston A, Sequeiros
J, Maciel P. A whole genome screen for association with multiple sclerosis in
Portuguese patients. J. Neuroimmunol., 143:112-115 (2003).
33. Santos MJ, Rio ME, Costa MC, Rio ME, Sá MJ, Monteiro MC, Valença A, Sá
A, Dinis J, Figueiredo J, Bigotte de Almeida L, Valongueiro A, Coelho I,
Matamá MT, Pinto-Basto J, Sequeiros J, Maciel P. Genotypes at the APOE
and SCA2 loci do not predict the course of multiple sclerosis in patients of
Portuguese origin. Multiple Sclerosis, in press.
34. Schmitt FC, Reis-Filho JS. C-myc, not her2/neu, can predict the prognosis
of breast cancer patients: how novel, how accurate, and how significant?
Breast Cancer Res., 5:188-191 (2003).
35. Sousa JC, Grandela C, Fernández-Ruiz J, de Miguel R, Sousa L, Magalhães
AI, Saraiva MJ, Sousa N, Palha JA. Transthyretin is involved in depressionlike behavior and exploratory activity. J. Neurochem., in press.
36. Veiga A, Arrabaca JD, Sansonetty F, Ludovico P, Corte-Real M, LoureiroDias MC. 2003. Energy conversion coupled to cyanide-resistant respiration
in the yeasts Pichia membranifaciens and Debaryomyces hansenii. FEMS
Yeast Res., 3:141-148 (2003).
B.
Book Chapters
1. Lu J, Némethy Zs, Pêgo JM, Cerqueira JJ, Sousa N, Almeida OFX. Cellular
and molecular analysis of stress-induced neurodegeneration. In: Steckler T,
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Annual Report
2003
DeKloet ER. (eds), “The Cellular Biology of the Stress Response”. Elsevier, in
press.
2. Monteiro MC, Gonçalves M-J, Sansonetty F, O´Connor J-E. Flow Cytometric
Analysis of Calcium Mobilization in Whole-Blood Platelets. Current Protocols
in Cytometry 9.20.1-9.20.7 (2003).
3. Rodrigues F, Sousa MJ, Côrte-Real, Leão C. Zygosaccharomyces bailii: an
yeast with a peculiar pattern for the regulation of acetic acid metabolism in
the presence of glucose. In: Wolf K, Breunig K, Barth E. (eds), “Lab Manual on
Non-conventional Yeasts: Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and
Biotechnology”. Springer-Verlag, Germany, pgs. 409-416 (2003).
C.
1.
Almeida, A, Carvalho, A, Gonçalves, C, Valdigem, G, Ludovico, P,
Rodrigues, F, Leão, C. Saccharomyces cerevisiae ?btn1 as a model to study
the neurodegenerative Batten’s disease. XXII ECCO Meeting, Braga, Portugal
(2003).
2.
Baptista MJ, Correia-Pinto J, Melo-Rocha G, Pedrosa C, Estêvão-Costa J,
Leite-Moreira AF. Effects of retinoids in early and late lung growth in
experimental CDH. Pediatric Res., 54:118 (2003).
3.
Bastos P, Baptista MJ, Gonzaga S, Henriques-Coelho T, Melo-Rocha G,
Estevão-Costa J, Palmeirim I, Leite-Moreira AF, Correia-Pinto J. Ghrelin
palys a role in pathogenesis of lung hypoplasia in CDH. Pediatric Res., 54:122
(2003).
4.
Carvalho C, Rodriguez-Léon J, Pascoal S, Delphini MC, Vieira C, Duprez D,
Izpisua Belmonte JC, Palmeirim I. The molecular clock is operating during
limb bud development. 1st joint meeting of the British and French Societies for
Developmental Biology, Nice, France (2003).
5.
Carvalho C, Rodriguez-Léon J, Pascoal S, Delphini MC, Vieira C, Duprez D,
Izpisua Belmonte JC, Palmeirim I. The molecular clock is operating during
limb bud development. EMBO workshop: Boundaries in development: 30 years
of progress, Heidelberg, Germany (2003).
6.
Carvalho S, Oliveira e Silva A, Milanezi F, Ricardo S, Leitão D, Amendoeira I,
Schmitt F. Does breast phyllodes tumour harbour c-kit mutations ? 19th
European Congress of Pathology, Ljubljana, Slovenia. Virchows Arch., 443:309
(2003).
7.
Cerqueira JJ, Pêgo JM, Sousa N. Dendritic alterations in the prefrontal
cortex following corticosteroid treatment. International Brain Research
Organization Meeting. Prague, Check Republic (2003).
8.
Correia-Pinto J, Henriques-Coelho T, Roncon-Albuquerque R Jr, Melo-
24
Annual Report
2003
Rocha G, Gillebert TC, Leite-Moreira AF. Left-ventricular dysfunction and
molecular remodelling in pulmonary hypertension. Eur Heart J., 24
(Suppl.):170 (2003).
9.
Côrte-Real M, Sansonetty F. Physiological Studies of Yeast Populations by
Cytometry. VIII Congresso da Sociedade Ibérica de Citometria (2003).
10.
Costa MC, Constante-Pereira M, Magalhães P, Matamá T, Ferreirinha F,
Cerqueira J, Santos M, Sequeiros J, Maciel P. Genetic study of Portuguese
patients with a Huntington disease-like phenotype. Annual Meeting American
Society Human Genetics. Am. J. Human Genet., 73:P-2451, 586 (2003).
11.
Dias N, Corte-Real M, Sansonetty F, Lima N. Flow cytometry as a tool to
assess cytotoxic effects of the non-ionic surfactant triton x-100 in
tetrahymena pyriformis. 5th Iberian Congress and 2nd Iberoamerican on
Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. Porto, Portugal (2003).
12.
Ferro A, Castro MJ, Sousa A, Lemos C, Santos M, Silveira I, Pereira-Monteiro
J, Sequeiros J, Maciel P: The C677T MTHFR polymorphism is not a genetic
risk factor for migraine in the Portuguese population. Abs. Genetics of Complex
Diseases and Isolated Populations, Genova, Itália, p.10 (2003).
13.
Ferro A, Castro MJ, Sousa A, Lemos C, Santos M, Silveira I, Pereira-Monteiro
J, Sequeiros J, Maciel P: A case-control study reveals no association of C677T
MTHFR polymorphism with migraine in the Portuguese population. Abs.
Workshop on Comparative and Functional Genomics, Cambridge, United
Kingdom (2003).
14.
Freitas C, Teillet M-A, Palmeirim I. When do medial PSM cells get the
property to segment autonomously? 1st joint meeting of the British and French
Societies for Developmental Biology, Nice, France (2003).
15.
Gillebert TC, Leite-Moreira AF, Pinho P, Correia-Pinto J, Bastos PT. Diastolic
intolerance to increased afterload in CABG patients. Acta Cardiologica
International, Journal of Cardiology, 58:69 (2003).
16.
Gouvea AP, Milanezi F, Olson SJ, Leitão D, Schmitt FC, Gobbi H. Detecção
do HER2 em carcinomas mamários invasivos: imunohistoquímica x FISH e
relação com outros fatores prognósticos e sobrevida. XXIV Congresso
Brasileiro de Patologia, Florianópolis, SC, J. Bras. Patol. (Supl.), 39:37 (2003).
17.
Henriques-Coelho T, Correia-Pinto J, Roncon-Albuquerque R Jr, Lourenço
AP, Baptista MJ, Teles A, Leite-Moreira AF. Haemodinamic, morphological,
and molecular effects of chronic administration of ghrelin in monocrotalininduced pulmonary hypertension. Eur. Heart J., 24 (Abstr. Suppl.): 371.
18.
Henriques-Coelho T, Roncon-Albuquerque R Jr, Gavina C, Correia-Pinto J,
Leite-Moreira AF. Decreased diastolic tolerance to afterload and impaired
systolic function after 6 hours of volume overload. Eur. J. Heart Failure, 5
25
Annual Report
2003
(Suppl.):372 (2003).
19.
Lu J, Goula D, Sousa N, Almeida OFX. Ionotropic and metabotropic
glutamate
receptor
mediation
of
glucocorticoid-induced
apoptosis
in
hippocampal cells and the neuroprotective role of synaptic N-methyl-Daspartate (NMDA) receptors. International Brain Research Organization
Meeting. Prague, Check Republic (2003).
20.
Ludovico P, Rodrigues F, Leão C. The key role of mitochondria in yeast cells
degeneration. 1st Luso-Spanish Congress on Free Radicals. Coimbra, Portugal
(2003).
21.
Ludovico P, Wissing S, Herker E, Decker T, Link A, Proksch A, Engelhardt S,
Rodrigues F, Corte-Real M, Sigrist S, Madeo F. An AIF-related Protein
Regulates Apoptosis in Yeast. 2nd International Meeting on Yeast Apoptosis,
Smolenice, Slovakia (2003).
22.
Palmeirim I, Pinto-Machado J. Optional Studies for Medical Students. WFME
World Conference – Global Standards for Better Health Care, Copenhagen,
Dinamarca (2003).
23.
Pêgo JM, Cerqueira JJ, Palha J, Sousa N. Morphological changes in the
basolateral division of the amygdala of TTR-null mice. International Brain
Research Organization Meeting. Prague, Check Republic (2003).
24.
Pinto-Ribeiro F, Almeida A, Pêgo JM, Cerqueira JJ e Sousa N. Chronic
stress modulates nociception in the rat: role of corticosteroid receptors.
Society for Neurosci. Abstr., New Orleans, USA , 29.
25.
Pinto-Ribeiro F, Almeida A, Pêgo, JM, Cerqueira JJ, Sousa N. Chronic
stress modulates nociception: the role of corticosteroid receptors. 4th EFIC
Meeting. Prague, Check Republic (2003).
26.
Reis RM, van Elburg RM, Ylstra B, Schreuder MF, Fetter WPF, Meijer GA.
Expression profile analysis of the small and large intestine of the Wistar rat.
International Conference on Applied Genomics, 9th ESACP / 16th ISDQP
Meeting, Amesterdam, The Netherlands (2003).
27.
Reis RM, Weiss J, Ylstra B, Postma C, Eijk P, Snijders AM, Albertson D,
Pinkel D, Kuipers E, Meijer GA. DNA copy number and expression profiles of
gastric cancer correlate with clinical behavior. Workshop - High Throughput
Genomics, Amesterdam, The Netherlands (2003).
28.
Reis-Filho JS, Martins A, Preto A, Soares P, Schmitt FC. Distribution of
p63, cytokeratins 5/6 and cytokeratin 14 in 51 normal and 450 neoplastic
human tissue samples using TARP-4 multi-tumor tissue microarray. Mod.
Pathol., 16:1493 (2003).
29.
Reis-Filho JS, Martins A, Preto A, Soares P, Schmitt FC. Distribution of
26
Annual Report
2003
human tissue samples using TARP-4 multi-tumor tissue microarray. Lab.
Invest., 83:1493 (2003).
30.
Reis-Filho JS, Fulford LG, Simpson PT, Martins A, Schmitt FC. P63-driven
nuclear accumulation of beta catenin is not a frequent event in human
neoplasms. 19th European Congress of Pathology, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Virchows Arch., 443: 360 (2003).
31.
Reis-Filho JS, Martins A, Preto A, Soares P and Schmitt FC. Distribution of
human tissue samples using TARP-4 multi-tumor tissue microarray. 92nd
Annual Meeting of United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology,
Washington, EUA (2003).
32.
Rodrigues S, Santos J, Palmeirim I.
Somitogenesis runs differently in the
first formed somites. Workshop at Instituto Juan March, Madrid, Spain (2003).
33.
Saúde L, Palmeirim I. Subtraction Screen to Identify Medial Presomitic
Mesoderm Genes, ELSO 2003 Meeting, Dresden, Germany (2003).
34.
Saúde L, Palmeirim I. Subtraction Screen to Identify Medial Presomitic
Mesoderm Genes. ELSO 2003 Meeting, Dresden, Germany (2003).
35.
Sotoca R, Silva R, Ludovico P, Sansonetty F, Martinez-Peinado J, Corte-Real
M. Hyperosmotic Stress Caused by Glucose Induces Programmed Cell Death
in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 2nd International Meeting on Yeast Apoptosis,
Smolenice, Slovakia (2003).
36.
Sotoca R, Silva R, Ludovico P, Sansonetty F, Martinez-Peinado J, Corte-Real
M. 2003. Hyperosmotic Stress Caused by Glucose Induces Programmed Cell
Death in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. XXI International Conference on Yeast
Genetics and Molecular Biology, Göteborg, Sweden.
37.
Sousa JC, Grandela C, Fernández-Ruiz J, de Miguel R, Sousa L, Magalhães
AI, Saraiva MJ, Sousa N, Palha JA. Transthyretin is involved in behavior
through the noradrenergic system. Society for Neurosciences. New Orleans,
USA, 217.10.
38.
Weiss J, Kuipers E, Reis RM, Eijk P, Snijders AM, Pinkel D, Albertson D,
Ylstra B, Meijer GA. Both microarray-CGH and expression profiles predict
survival in gastric cancer. International Conference on Applied Genomics, 9th
ESCAP / 16th ISDQP Meeting, Amesterdam, The Netherlands (2003).
39.
Weiss J, Ylstra B, Reis RM, Postma C, Eijk P, Snijders AM, Albertson D,
Pinkel D, Kuipers E, Meijer GA. Both array-CGH and Expression profiles
predict survival in gastric cancer. AACR Oncogenomics, Phoenix, EUA (2003).
40.
Weiss J, Ylstra B, Reis RM, Postma C, Eijk P, Snijders AM, Albertson D,
Pinkel D, Kuipers E, Meijer GA. Both array-CGH and Expression profiles
predict survival in gastric cancer. Dutch Pathological Society Meeting, Ede, The
27
Annual Report
2003
Netherlands (2003).
3.3.2. NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS
Articles: 1; Book Chapters: 1; Abstracts in Congresses: 23
3.3.3. UNDER-GRADUATE AND POST-GRADUATE THESIS
A.
?
THESIS CONCLUDED IN 2003
Under-Graduate Thesis
1. Agostinho Carvalho (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Fernando Rodrigues, Co-supervisor: Agostinho Almeida
2. Alexandra Fraga (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Jorge Pedrosa
3. Ana Goios (Graduation in Biology, University of Porto).
Supervisor: Paula Ludovico
4. Ana Martins (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Isabel Palmeirim
5. Carla Gonçalves Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Fernando Rodrigues, Co-supervisor: Agostinho Almeida.
6. Cátia Cruz (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Fernando Schmitt, Co-supervisor: Sandra Costa
7. Joana Carvalho (Graduation in Biology, University of Porto).
Supervisor: Paula Ludovico
8. Liliana Guerreiro (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Armando Almeida.
9. Marta Lima (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Joana Palha, Co-supervisor: Dina Ruano.
10. Tírcia Santos (Graduation in Applied Biology, University of Minho).
Supervisor: Gil Castro
?
Master Thesis
1. Egídio Torrado. “Study of the role of proteins secreted by Candida albicans
and Mycobacterium avium in experimental infections, and their potential use as
target antigens in immunoprotection”. Master degree thesis in Biotecnology.
University of Minho.
Supervisor: Jorge Pedrosa.
2. Maria
João
Baptista.
“Cardiopulmonar
development
in
congenital
diaphragmatic hernia”. Master degree thesis in Molecular Medicine. Faculty of
Medicine, University of Porto.
Supervisors: Jorge Correia-Pinto and Adelino Leite-Moreira
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2003
B.
THESIS UNDER DEVELOPMENT
The theses under development at ICVS are listed in Appendix II, together with their
themes and supervisors.
3.4.
RESEARCH PRIZES
1. Prize of the Young Researcher – basic research 2003 of the Sociedade
Portuguesa de Cardiologia, to Jorge Correia-Pinto with the work “Afterloadinduced diastolic intolerance, myofilaments and SERCA2a in progression to heart
failure.” by Correia-Pinto J, Henriques-Coelho T, Roncon-Albuquerque Jr,
Melo-Rocha G, Leite-Moreira AF.
2. Servier Prize in Heart Failure 2003 to the work “Relevance of hemodynamics
and molecular evaluation in progression to heart failure.” by Correia-Pinto J,
Roncon-Albuquerque R, Henriques-Coelho T, Leite-Moreira AF.
3. Honour Mention of the Pfizer Research Prize 2003 with the work “Left
ventricular molecular changes and functional consequences in progression to
heart failure. Relative contribution of load and neuro-humoral activation” by
Correia-Pinto J, Lourenço A, Henriques-Coelho T, Roncon-Albuquerque, LeiteMoreira AF.
4. Grünenthal Prize PAIN 2003 with the work “Chronic stress modulation of pain:
the role of glucocorticoid receptors”, by Pinto-Ribeiro F, Almeida A, Pego JM,
Cerqueira J, Sousa N.
5. Serono Prize of the Neurological Portuguese Society for the work “Genetic study
of multiple sclerosis” by Maciel P.
3.5.
POST-GRADUATION COURSES
In 2003, and for the third consecutive year, high priority was given to the
preparation and offer of post-graduation studies with a two-fold objective: i) to contribute
to a highly specialized in-service training of medical doctors under conditions compatible
with their normal duties and schedules; ii) to extend the opportunities for the acquisition
of formal Master or Doctoral degrees in the field of life and health sciences.
These courses can be validated as credit units to use in post-graduation Master
and PhD programmes in the field of biology and health sciences.
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Annual Report
2003
The post-graduation programme (PGP) in 2003 included seven international short
intensive courses, targeting medical doctors as well as academic staff, researchers and
health professionals, as follows.
“Microsurgical Anatomy in Neurosurgery”
Coordinators:
Carlos
Alegria
and
Nuno
Sousa.
May
20-21,
2003,http://ecs2002.ecsaude.uminho.pt/postgrad/2003/man.pdf
“Light Microscopy and Advanced Imaging”
Coordinators: Filipe Sansonetty and Armando Almeida. May 26-30,
2003http://ecs2002.ecsaude.uminho.pt/postgrad/2003/lmai.pdf
“Cell and Tissue Culture Techniques”
Coordinators: Filipe Sansonetty and Nuno Sousa. June 25-27, 2003.
http://ecs2002.ecsaude.uminho.pt/postgrad/2003/ctct.pdf
“Cytometry: Applications in Cellular Biology and Medicine”
Coordinators: Filipe Sansonetty and Paula Ludovico. July 28-August 1,
2003. http://ecs2002.ecsaude.uminho.pt/postgrad/2003/cacbm.pdf
“Pediatric Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physiology: From Research to Clinical
Practice”
Coordinators: Jorge Correia-Pinto and Maria João Baptista. October 14 2003. http://ecs2002.ecsaude.uminho.pt/postgrad/2003/pcpp.pdf
“Lung Cancer: Advances in Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment”
Coordinators: Filipe Sansonetty and Carlos Valério. December 5-6, 2003.
The post-graduation programme had 205 participants distributed in the following
backgrounds:
Others 4%
Biological sciences
23%
Other health
Professionals
9%
Medical doctor
64%
A questionnaire was filled by most of the participants to evaluate the post graduation
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Annual Report
2003
activities. The overall evaluation provided the following results: excellent (55%), good
(42%), adequate (3%), poor (0%), unsatisfactory (0%).
Adequate
3%
Good
42%
Excelent
55%
In all cases, participants considered that the courses should be repeated in years to
come, which represents a great incentive to continue and consolidate our programme.
In addition, we offered an intensive short course on laboratory safety addressed to all
professionals and students that use research, teaching and hospital laboratories
(October 29-31. 2003.http://ecs2002.ecsaude.uminho.pt/postgrad/2003/lscr.pdf). The
course, attended by 93 participants from various backgrounds, including high-school
and university teachers, technicians from research and clinical laboratories, and
graduate students; the overall evaluation was excellent (20%), good (55%), adequate
(18%) and poor (7%).
3.6.
COOPERATION WITH NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
A.
PARTICIPATION IN BILATERAL ACTIONS
1.
Natural and pharmacological interventions for evaluation of hippocampal
structure and function. Exchange grant ICCTI/DAAD.
Principal Investigators: Nuno Sousa (ICVS, Portugal) and Osborne Almeida (Germany).
Duration: 2002-2004.
2.
Study of the molecular basis of schizophrenia in the Portuguese and
Brasilian populations. Exchange grant CAPES in Brasil and ICCTI in Portugal
for exchange of expertise and training.
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Annual Report
2003
Principal Investigators: Joana Almeida Palha (ICVS, Portugal) and Paulo Belmonte de
Abreu (Brazil).
Duration: 2001-2004
3.
Vertebrate limb bud development. ICCTI/ (CRUP) and ICCTI/CSCI.
Principal Investigator: Isabel Palmeirim (ICVS, Portugal) and Delphine Duprez (CNRS,
France).
Duration: 2003
4.
Study of Axial/Paraxial Hindge function in vertebrate segmentation.
ICCTI/Embassy of France.
Principal Investigators: Isabel Palmeirim (ICVS, Portugal) and Marie-Aimée Teillet (CNRS,
College de France, France).
Duration: 2002-2003
PARTICIPATION IN INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS
B.
Isabel Palmeirim
-Member of the “EU network of excellence on the development of mesodermal organ
systems”.
Jorge Pedrosa
- Member of the Steering Committee of the “European and Developing Countries Clinical
Trial Programme for Poverty-related Diseases”, as National Delegate (ICCTI).
Patrícia Maciel
- Member of the international consortium for the study of the genetic susceptibility to
Multiple Sclerosis - GAMES (Genetic Analysis of Multiple Sclerosis in the EuropeanS).
3.7.
“CIÊNCIA FALADA NO ICVS” - TALKING ABOUT SCIENCE AT THE ICVS
The ICVS institutionalized the so called “Ciência Falada no ICVS” consisting on
regular seminars. In these meetings, internal and external scientists were invited to
present their most recent results.
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Annual Report
2003
3.8.
RESOURCES
3.8.1. HUMAN RESOURCES
The full composition of the regular research staff is summarised below and listed in
Appendix III, together with their qualifications, rank and scientific area.
PhD Researchers
- 13 Lecturers
- 3 Post-docs
- 2 External Invited Researchers
Post-graduation students
- 2 External Invited Researchers
- 22 PhD students
- 7 Master students
- 29 Lic. Researchers (9 Assistants and 6 Monitor at ECS; 14 research
scholarships)
Non Academic Staff, shared with the School
- 8 Administration
- 8 Laboratories
- 2 Medical Education Unit
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Annual Report
2003
3.8.2. INFRASTRUCTURES
ICVS is operating in provisional facilities. However, during the launching period of
the institute the preparation of laboratories and scientific equipments was one of the
main objectives. It has been possible to put into operation a set of research laboratories
organized by function, in parallel with an intra network of Shared Facilities established
to support, in a multidisciplinary way, the different research groups of the ICVS.
The use of internal funding for the acquisition of equipments and the training and
recruitment of personnel was one of the most important achievements of the institute.
Twenty laboratories (1500 m2) are now fully operational and include facilities for the
development of protocols in Animal models, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Cell
Culture, Microscopy, Flow Cytometry, Histology and Cytology. These laboratories are
shared by the researchers and post-graduate students, even though they also represent
‘home base’ laboratories for the research groups. Since 2002, the following additions to
facilities were made available:
BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES CENTER AND ANIMAL HOUSE - Biological Safety Laboratories
of Level 3 including ultra-freezers, flow cytometry and cell culture equipments, up-grade
of the animal facility for 1000 mice and 300 rats, external quarantine, 350 mice in Level
3 containment and systems for behavioural tests.
GENOMICS AND PROTEOMICS FACILITY – equipped with ultracentrifuge, additional PCR
machines, real-time PCR, electrophoresis apparatus, spectrophotometer, 2D-PAGE,
image acquisition and software for molecular biology.
Due to a significant delay in the construction of the new building of the ECS, the
University approved an expansion to the upper floor. Administrative headquarters,
offices for researchers and seminar rooms are presently located in this new area.
The new building for the School of Health Sciences, to be completed by the end of
2005, includes a specific area for the ICVS, with 6 000 m2. Further equipment ha been
requested through several applications to FCT.
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Annual Report
2003
4.
FINAL REMARKS
4.1.
SELF-ASSESSMENT
We consider that, during the last two years, a great investment of the School has
been done on:
- the preparation of research laboratories, acquisition of scientific equipments and
support of projects within the ICVS;
- keeping all members of the academic staff active in research;
- attracting a meaningful number of graduate students into the research projects;
- offering master, doctoral and post-doctoral fellowships;
- developing interdisciplinary projects involving different research domains within and
outside the ICVS.
As a consequence, presently, the strongest points of ICVS include:
- a highly qualified, motivated and dynamic research team;
- the availability of a number of fellowships in 2003 provided by a specific grant from
FCT that gave an important boost to the ICVS activities;
- the availability of a set of research laboratories organized by function, in parallel with
an intra-network of Shared Facilities established to support, in a multidisciplinary
way, the different research groups of the ICVS;
-
the
capacity
for
implementing
high
standard
international
post-graduation
programmes.
The main weaknesses are related with:
- the delay in the decision of Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) regarding the
proposals that were formally submitted in January 2002 for the financing of the ICVS,
concerning:
(i)
the regular financing of ICVS as a research unit integrated in the national
system of science and technology (which, according to the FCT rules, involves
basal and programmatical financing);
(ii)
the financing of heavy scientific equipments for the research laboratories,
aiming at the establishment of an infrastructure of “Shared Instruments
Facilities” in partnership with related areas in the Biology, Physics and
Biotechnology units of Minho University.
- the absence of calls for research projects grants (FCT) since May 2002;
- lack of funding for the:
(i)
recruitment of graduated specialised technicians for all the prioritary
scientific areas of ICVS;
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Annual Report
2003
(ii)
implementation of a scientific library.
- the impossibility to fully develop the specialized health services and the launching of
formal Master and Doctoral degrees associated with the post-graduation programme,
due to constraints raised by the provisional facilities. However, the specialised
advanced courses offered under this programme, besides their impact on life long
learning for professionals in the local and regional health units, are credited as
components of the formal post-graduation degree programmes to be started in the near
future.
4.2.
ESSENTIAL NEEDS
It is therefore crucial that FCT integrates the ICVS in its network of research units,
providing financial support to the basal current functioning and also a special
programmatic financing for equipment, in order to develop and be competitive.
The effort made by the ECS to start research activities without prior specific
financing from the Government has no precedents in Portuguese Universities, but it has
reached the limits of its possibilities. We have consequently insisted on our request for
infrastructural funding, by presenting very recently a concrete proposal for a specific
contract (“contrato programa”), in which we justify the demand for a grant of 3, 4 million
Euros for laboratorial facilities in the areas of Biological Resources, Molecular and
Cellular Biomedicine and Cell Imaging.
4.3.
A FINAL COMMENT
In conclusion, it is our deep conviction that, albeit the above difficulties, all the
main goals for these first years 2002-03 were achieved through the constant
institutional support of the School together with the enthusiasm and commitment of all
ICVS Members. We will continue our effort to establish the ICVS as an international
research centre of excellence.
Cecília Leão
Director of ICVS
December, 2003
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Annual Report
2003
APPENDIXES
APPENDIX I
LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE – Creation, Progression during
2002-2003, Goals and Challenges
APPENDIX II
Thesis under Development: Themes and Supervisors
APPENDIX III
Research Staff of ICVS |December 2003
37
Annual Report
2003
APPENDIX I
LIFE AND HEALTH SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Creation, Progression during 2002-2003, Goals and Challenges
38
Annual Report
2003
CREATION
The Health Sciences School (ECS) is one of the newest additions of the University of
Minho. The ECS was conceived to assure: i) training of medical students; ii)
establishment of biomedical research groups and iii) delivery of specialised health
services to the community.
To achieve goals ii) and iii) the ECS created the Life and Health Sciences Research
Institute (ICVS). Therefore, in recruiting academic staff, both teaching and research
expertises were amongst the selecting criteria. This strategy strongly contributed to the
success in training medical students, promoted the interaction between different fields of
biomedical research and medical education, and it also resulted in the establishment of
a wide range of research fields within the ICVS. In accordance, the initial proposal (April
2002) presented for the ICVS contained 6 research domains: neurosciences, neoplastic
diseases, genetic diseases, infectious diseases (subdivided into mycosis and tuberculosis
studies) and development diseases.
THE 2002-2003 PROGRESSION
Since its creation, two years ago, there was a significant expansion of both human
resources and facilities (Fig.1 and 2), which allowed the consolidation of the research
groups.
Fig. 1.
2003
2002
Total
Non-academic staff
Other researchers
Students (MSc/PhD)
PhDs
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
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Annual Report
2003
The ICVS is operating in provisional facilities. In 2002, twelve laboratories were
available. During the last 20 months a great effort was concentrated in the preparation
of additional laboratories and scientific equipments (indicated by arrows). A series of
fully operational research laboratories organized by function was set up, in parallel with
an internal network of shared facilities established to support, in a multidisciplinary
way, the different research groups of the ICVS. At present, the research facilities consist
of twenty laboratories (1500 m2). These include the following additions to the facilities
available in 2002:
Biological Resources Center and Animal House. Biological Safety Laboratories of
Level 3 including ultra-freezers, flow cytometry and cell culture equipments, up-grade of
the animal facility for 1000 mice and 300 rats, external quarantine, 350 mice in Level 3
containment and systems for behavioural tests.
Genomics and Proteomics Facility. It is equipped with ultracentrifuge, additional
PCR machines, real-time PCR, electrophoresis apparatus, espectophotometer, 2D-PAGE,
image acquisition and software for molecular biology.
Due to a significant delay in the construction of the new building of the ECS, the
University approved an expansion to the upper floor. Administrative headquarters,
offices for researchers and seminar rooms are presently located in this new area.
40
Annual Report
2003
STRATEGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF ICVS
The strategy for development was based on consolidation and integration. The ICVS
intends to be not just one more research unit, but rather, a NOVEL research unit. To
achieve this goal the following procedures were (are being) implemented:
Integrated and shared management. One of the main and most common difficulties
in setting up a new research unit is funding. The ICVS is not an exception. However, the
ICVS counted with a crucial initial contribution from both the ECS and the University of
Minho. This allowed the ICVS to build the current facilities. In addition, the ECS granted
all groups a small basal funding, and covered the maintenance costs of equipment and
general products. A rigorous application of the ECS contract plan, together with grants
owned by the PIs, permitted therefore, to initiate the research activities at the ICVS.
Function-oriented laboratories. Integrated management avoids duplication of
equipment and facilities and rationalizes human resources. The existence of specialized
laboratories, in which in some cases individual groups are located, also promotes
exchange of expertise and projects. The present function-oriented laboratories/facilities
include: 1. Animal house, 2. Imaging facilities, 3. Tissue processing facilities, 4. Tissue
and cell culture room; 5. Rodent behavioural laboratory; 6. Molecular biology laboratory,
7. Level 2 and Level 3 biosafety laboratories.
Multi- and inter-disciplinary research groups. The integrative policy implemented
from the beginning has already given some results. It had an INTEGRATIVE effect, since
all initial groups, being integrated in an environment favourable to the establishment of
inter-group collaborations and complementary experimental approaches, merged, from
the original six, into three wider research domains: infectious diseases, neurosciences,
development and neoplasia. The critical mass of each has, therefore, been strengthened,
which can certainly be considered a STRUCTURAL effect of the integrative policy.
Innovative post-graduation. In 2003, and for the third consecutive year, high
priority was given to post-graduation studies with a dual objective: i) contribute to a
highly specialized in-service training of medical doctors under conditions compatible
with their normal duties and schedules; ii) extend the opportunities for the access to
formal Master or Doctoral degrees in the field of life and health sciences. In accordance,
we increased the number of MDs and professionals in health sciences enrolling in our
courses/workshops and improved in their assessment of the Courses.
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Annual Report
2003
INSTITUTIONAL POLICY AND ASSESSMENT
The ICVS implemented a continuous assessment of this integrated management
that allows to: i) encourage and examine the ability of the groups to develop collaborative
projects ii) encourage and evaluate the efficient use of common facilities and laboratories
and iii) redefine the existing common facilities/laboratories and research domains.
RESULTS
The main results achieved in 2003 are summarised in the next table.
International publications
36
Papers
Book Chapters
3
40
National publications
1
Papers
Book Chapters
1
23
Thesis concluded
2
Master Thesis
Under-Graduate Thesis
10
Thesis under development
18
PhD thesis
Master Thesis
2
Scientific research prizes
5
Post-graduation courses organized by the ICVS
6
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Annual Report
2003
PLANNING FOR 2004/2006
Consolidation of the research groups. 2004/2006 will represent a period of
consolidation for each research group. We hope to increase scientific production by at
least 25-50% in every group and to expand funded collaborative research projects.
Attention will be more focused on optimising the scientific production of every
researcher, rather than in a large expansion of human resources.
Expansion to the new ECS building. The new building for the School of Health
Sciences, to be completed by the end of 2005, includes a specific area for the ICVS, with
6 000 m2. This will represent a significant improvement of the installations dedicated to
research, although it also implies further equipment (several applications to FCT have
been advanced).
Post-graduation. It is our aim that the involvement of health sciences professionals in the
ICVS activities shifts in the near future to formal bounds in Masters and PhDs
programmes. Taking advantage of being part of a Medical School, we wish to develop a
MD/PhD program, for which we count with the enthusiastic collaboration of Thomas
Jefferson Medical School, and Columbia University Medical School. Apart from these
collaborative efforts, which must be formally established in the next two years, we will
also present, during 2004, a programme to be developed indoors. This programme is
intended to provide summer courses, and to develop most of the thesis projects as joint
research between the ICVS and the health units in which the students develop their
medical career.
Along these lines we also intend to present a programme of continuous medical
education, to be implemented in the years 2005/6.
Translational research. The goal of the ICVS for 2004/2006 is to enhance the
clinical research infrastructure through the expansion of the breadth of clinical research
activities and by sustaining an increasing number of “active” physicians in its research
faculty. This task is viewed as a critical tool to foster the productivity of physicianscientists who will strengthen translational research in academic health centers, both
through their own studies as well as their mentoring of the next generation of physicianscientist trainees. Physician-scientists play a crucial role in the continuum of research
that ensures a free flow of information and new treatments from the laboratory to the
patient bedside and back again. Traditionally, clinical-oriented research centers have
had an influent role in the development of medical advances, thereby setting standards
for the practice of medicine and the quality of health care.
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Annual Report
2003
Specific Aims:
1.Increase the number of independent clinical research investigators utilizing the
ICVS by at least 25% to competitively apply for general clinical research center
funding.
2.Expand the research infrastructure to support at least 25% growth in clinical
research studies.
3.Expand funded collaborative research projects.
4.Set specialised health services to the community.
IDENTIFICATION (AND SOLUTION) OF WEAKNESSES
Funding. The ICVS has managed to create very interesting conditions for its
research groups. The quality of the facilities and the number of researchers is adequate,
when considering national standards. The main constraint is presently financial support
that would sustain and consolidate research activities in the ICVS. This assertion is valid
both for basal (reagents and maintenance) as well as for programmatic (acquisition of
equipment) funding. It is important to remember that existent equipment was integrally
funded by the ECS. Without these conditions research will stagnate or, even, collapse.
We are aware of the crucial importance of diversification of funding sources.
Despite the lack of tradition in private funding of research in Portugal, we are launching
a Funding Committee aiming to find alternative sources of financial support.
Major equipment constraints are:
1. Electron microscopy
2. Confocal microscope
3. ? and ß-counter
4. DNA Sequencer
5. HPLC
Institutional collaborations. Due to its short existence, the ICVS has still a reduced
number of institutional collaborations. It is our belief that the establishment of
collaborations will increase scientific expertise and skills and, in addition, will facilitate
proposals to international funding agencies.
Access to scientific information. Access to Scientific and Medical publications,
preferably to the electronic versions of journals, is vital. Access to books is also limited. A
national electronic library would be a valuable resource or, alternatively, regular funding
for this purpose should be warranted.
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Annual Report
2003
APPENDIX II. THESIS UNDER DEVELOPMENT: THEMES AND SUPERVISORS
RESEARCH AREA
STUDENT
Almeida,
Agostinho
PhD
Carvalho,
Agostinho
MsC
Oliveira,
Rodrigo
MsC
PhD
Martins,
Margarida
Cruz, Andrea
Fernando Rodrigues
(UM)
Jorge Pedrosa
(UM)
PostDoc
Pereira, João
Pedro
Jorge Pedrosa
(UM)
PhD
Torrado, Egídio
Jorge Pedrosa
(UM)
PhD
Costa, Mª do
Carmo
Patrícia Maciel
(UM)
MsC
Lessa, Lira
Patrícia Maciel
(UM)
PhD
Marques,
Fernanda
Joana Palha
(UM)
PhD
Ruano, Dina
PhD
Santos, Mónica
Joana Palha
(UM)
Patrícia Maciel
(UM)
PhD
Sousa, João
Carlos
Joana Palha
(UM
PhD
Almeida, Rui
Nuno Sousa
(UM)
PhD
Cerqueira, João
Nuno Sousa
(UM)
PhD
Lu, Jie
Nuno Sousa
(UM)
Infectious
Deseases
Neurosciences
SUPERVISOR(S)
THESIS
PhD
Cecília Leão
Fernando Rodrigues
(UM)
Fernando Rodrigues
Patrícia Maciel
(UM)
Paula Ludovico
(UM)
SUBJECT
Cellular and molecular analysis of the
dimorphic fungi Paracoccidioides
brasiliensis
Susceptibility to systemic mycosis in
immunodeficient patients: analysis of
molecular factors)
Elucidation of the molecular basis of
human mitochondrial neuromyopathies
associated to citochrome oxidase
deficiency: use of Saccharomyces
cerevisiae as a model
Studies in Paracoccidioides brasiliensis:
Development of molecular tools
Understanding BCG vaccination:
implications for the design of ne w
preventive strategies against
mycobacteriosis
Activation of toll-like receptors in B
lymphocytes during mycobacterial
infections
Immunobiological studies of secreted
proteins from mycobacteria and
Candida albicans: a role for vaccination
Studies in Mus musculus of the gene
homologue for the Machado-Joseph
disease
Studies in Gallus gallus of the gene
homologue for the Machado-Joseph
disease
Searching for the function of
transthyretin in the energy metabolism
and of the choroid plexus in
inflammation
Genetics of schizophrenia: the retinoid
and thyroid hormone hypothesis
Pathogenesis study of Rett Syndrome.
The role of the MeCP2 protein in
neuronal function
Searching for an essential function for
transthyretin in the central nervous
system
Application of telemetry to assessment
of intracraneal parameters
Structural reorganization of the
prefrontal cortex by corticosteroids and
CRH
Nuclear hormone receptor regulation of
neurogenesis: combining gene
transfection and genomic approaches
45
Annual Report
2003
RESEARCH AREA
THESIS
PhD
STUDENT
Mesquita, Ana
Raquel
SUPERVISOR(S)
PhD
PhD
Pêgo, José
Miguel
Silva, Rui
Nuno Sousa
(UM)
Nuno Sousa
(UM)
MsC
Basto, Diana
MsC
Carvalho, Inês
PhD
Costa, Sandra
Rui M. Reis
(UM)
Fernando Schimtt
(UM)
Fernando Schmitt
(UP/UM)
PhD
Duarte, Fátima
Fernando Schimtt
(UM)
PostDoc
PhD
Longatto,
Adhemar
Milanezi,
Fernanda
Reis-Filho,
Jorge
Fernando Schimtt
(UM)
Fernando Schmitt
(UP/UM)
Fernando Schmitt
(UP/UM)
PostDoc
Andrade,
Raquel
Isabel Palmeirim
(UM)
MsC
Baptista, Maria
João
Bastos, Rui
Pedro
Jorge Correia-Pinto
(UM)
Jorge Correia-Pinto
(UM)
MsC
Magalhães,
Sónia
Jorge Correia-Pinto
(UM)
MsC
Melo-Rocha,
Gustavo
Jorge Correia-Pinto
(UM)
PhD
Pascoal,
Susana
Isabel Palmeirim
(UM)
PhD
Rodrigues, Sofia
Isabel Palmeirim
(UM)
MsC
Roriz, Mário
Jorge Correia-Pinto
(UM)
PhD
Santos, Marta
Jorge Correia-Pinto
(UM)
Neurosciences
Development and
Neoplasia
PhD
MsC
Nuno Sousa
(UM)
SUBJECT
Assessing acute and long-term
neurological sequelae of seizures on the
“limbic” brain: the influence of early life
stress and hyperthermia
Influence of stress upon the structure
and function of the amygdale
Interventions modulating hippocampal
postnatal neurogenesis: structural and
functional implications
Molecular alterations predictive of
therapy in malignant gliomas
PDGFR in breast cancer
DNA repair gene polymorphisms in a
group of breast cancer patients from
portuguese origin
Role of FGF in angiogenesis
Lymphangiogenesis in breast cancer
Evaluation of therapeutical response in
breast cancer
Myoepithelial differentiation in breast
carcinomas: pathological recognition
and clinical implications
Use of “two-hybrid” technology in the
analysis of the molecular watch
associated with the segmentation of
vertebrate embryos
Retinoid modulation of fetal heart-lung
growth in CDH
Regulation of fetal lung
growth/maturation through ghrelingrowth hormone secretagogue receptor
pathway
Hemodynamic study of Bi-ventricular
Diastolic Function in Experimental
Models of Pulmonary Hypertension
Myocardial Gene Expression of Calcium
Regulatory Proteins in Experimental
Modeols of Myocardial Hypertrophy
New Aspects of the Coordination of
Vertebrate Limb Bud Development
Molecular and Cellular Characterization
of Somitogenesis in Early Chick
Development
Cardiovascular Physiology
Common genetic pathways in lung and
limb development: in vivo and in vitro
studies
MsC = Master thesis
UM= University of Minho; UP = University of Porto.
46
Annual Report
2003
APPENDIX III
RESEARCH STAFF OF ICVS |December 2003
1- Phd Researchers
NAME (POSITION / DEGREE / RESEARCH AREA)
FTE/Research
1.1 Permanent Staff
Isabel Mª M. M. Palmeirim A. Esteves (Assist. Prof./ MD/ PhD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.5
Jorge Manuel Correia Pinto (Assist. Prof./ MD /PhD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.25
Maria de Fátima M. Baltazar (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.5
Rui Manuel Vieira Reis (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.5
António Gil Pereira de Castro (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Infectious Diseases)
0.5
Maria Cecília Lemos Pinto Estrela Leão (Full Time Prof. / PhD / Infectious Diseases)
0.5
Fernando José dos Santos Rodrigues (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Infectious Diseases)
0.5
Jorge Manuel Rolo Pedrosa (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Infectious Diseases)
0.5
Paula Cristina C. A. Monteiro Ludovico (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Infectious Diseases)
0.5
Armando Alberto Nova Pinto de Almeida (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Neurosciences)
0.5
Joana Almeida Santos Pacheco Palha (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Neurosciences)
0.5
Nuno Jorge Carvalho de Sousa (Assist. Prof./ MD/ PhD / Neurosciences)
0.5
Patrícia Espinheira de Sá Maciel (Assist. Prof./ PhD / Neurosciences)
0.5
1.2 Non - Permanent Staff
Adhemar Longatto Filho (Post-Doc / PhD / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Raquel Gláucia Varzielas Pêgo de Andrade (Post-Doc / PhD / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
João Pedro Antunes Pereira (Post-Doc / PhD / Infectious Diseases
1.0
External Invited Researchers
Fernando Carlos de Lánder Schmitt (MD/ PhD / Development and Neoplasia IPATIMUP-UP)
Manuel Teixeira da Silva (MD/ PhD / Infectious Diseases / IBMC-UP)
2. Post-graduation students
NAME (POSITION / DEGREE / RESEARCH AREA)
FTE/Research
2.1 PhD students
Alberto Filipe Sansonetty Gonçalves (MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
0,6
Ana Raquel Marcelino Mesquita ( BD / Lic / Biology / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Maria Fátima Pereira Duarte ( Lic/ Biochemistry/ Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Marta Alexandra R. dos Santos ( Lic / Biochemistry / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Sandra Maria Araújo da Costa (BD / Lic / Biology / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
47
Annual Report
2003
Sérgio Reis Filho ( BD /MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Sofia Machado Cruz de A. R. M. Cristovão ( BD / Lic / Biology / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Susana Alexandra Rodrigues Pascoal ( BD / Lic / Biology/ Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Agostinho João Ramalho de Almeida ( BD / Lic / Biology / Infectious Diseases)
1.0
Agostinho Albérico Rodrigues de Carvalho ( BD / Lic / Biology / Infectious Diseases)
1.0
Andreia Patrícia Ribeiro da Cruz ( BD / Lic / Microbiology / Infectious Diseases)
1.0
Egídio Manuel Pires Torrado ( BD / Lic / Biology/ Infectious Deseases)
1.0
Dina Ruano Neto ( BD / Lic / Biology/ Neurosciences)
1.0
Fernanda Cristina Gomes Sousa Marques ( BD / Lic / Biology/ Neurosciences)
1.0
Jie Lu ( BD / MD/ Neurosciences)
1.0
João Carlos Cruz Sousa (Monitor – BD/Lic/ Biochemistry/Neurosciences)
0,2
João José Fernandes Cardoso de Araújo Cerqueira (Monitor / MD/ Neurosciences)
0,2
José Miguel Gomes Moreira Pêgo (Monitor / MD/ Neurosciences)
0,2
Maria do Carmo Pereira da Costa ( BD / Lic / Biochemistry / Neurosciences)
1.0
Mónica Joana Pinto dos Santos ( BD / Lic / Biology / Neurosciences)
1.0
Rui Jorge Marques Almeida ( MD/ Neurosciences)
1.0
Rui Jorge de Freitas Silva ( BD/ Lic / Biology/ Neurosciences)
1.0
2.2 Master students (Master thesis)
Diana Sofia de Sá C. G. Basto ( Lic / Microbiology / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Gustavo Filipe Melo Alves da Rocha (Monitor / MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
0,2
Maria João Ribeiro Leite Baptista ( Assistant/ MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
0.2
Rui Pedro da Rocha Bastos (Monitor / MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
0,2
Sónia Manuela Rodrigues Magalhães (Assistant/ MD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.2
Margarida Isabel de Barros C. Martins (Lic / Biochemistry / Infectious Diseases)
1.0
Lira de Carvalho Folgado Lessa ( Lic / Microbiology/ Neurosciences)
1.0
2.3 Lic. Researchers
Carla Rolanda da Rocha Gonçalves (Assistant/ MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
Maria Fernanda Grillo Milanezi (Assistant/ MD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.2
0.2
Isabel Maria Simões Sousa Ribeiro Oliveira (Assistant/ MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
0.2
Luís Miguel Gonçalves Torrão ( Assistant/ MD/ Development and Neoplasia)
0.2
André Filipe Couto Carvalho (Assistant / MD/ Neurosciences)
0.2
António Luís Ferreira dos Santos (Assistant / MD/ Neurosciences)
0.2
Filipa Santos Costa Pinto Ribeiro (Assistant/ Lic / Biology/ Neurosciences)
0.25
Manuel José Lima Costa Rodrigues (Assistant / MD / Neurosciences)
0.25
Vítor Manuel Varandas Moreira ( Assistant / MD/ Neurosciences)
0.2
João Paulo Soares Fernandes (Monitor / MD / Development and Neoplasia)
0.2
Hugo Miguel Braga Almeida Tavares (Monitor / MD / Neurosciences)
0.2
João Miguel Seiça Bessa Peixoto (Monitor / MD / Neurosciences)
0.2
Maria Leonor Barbosa Gonçalves ( Monitor / MD/ Neurosciences
0.2
Mário Jorge Alves Oliveira (Monitor / MD / Neurosciences)
0.2
48
Annual Report
2003
Pedro Alexandre Leão A. G. Teixeira (Monitor / MD / Neurosciences)
0.2
Albino Manuel Pereira Martins ( BI/ Lic / Biology/ Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Ana Catarina Almeida Carrão ( BI / Lic / Biochemistry / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Maria Susana González de Ribeiro Abreu ( BI / Lic / Biochemistry / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Sandra Mónica Brandão de Almeida Ferreira (BI / Lic / Biology/ Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Sara Isabel Rodrigues dos Santos ( BI / Lic / Biochemistry / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Sílvia Gonzaga da Silva Santos ( BI / Lic / Aquatic Sciences / Development and Neoplasia)
1.0
Alexandra Gabriel Fraga (BI/ Lic / Biology/ Infectious Deseases)
1.0
Gustavo Leão Valdigem ( BI/ Lic / Biology/ Infectious Deseases)
1.0
Martinha Soares Oliveira (BI / Lic / Biology/ Infectious Deseases)
1.0
Rodrigo Emanuel Gomes Leite de Oliveira (BI / Lic / Pharmacology / Infectious Deseases)
1.0
Sílvia Alexandra Mota ( BI / Lic / Pharmacology/ Infectious Diseases)
1.0
Anabela Silva Fernandes ( BI / Lic / Biochemistry / Neurosciences)
1.0
Andreia Cristiana Teixeira de Castro ( BI / Lic / Biochemistry / Neurosciences)
1.0
Hugo Miguel do Vale Leite Santos de Almeida ( BI / Lic / Biochemistry / Neurosciences)
1.0
3.
Non-Academic Staff shared with the School
NAME (CARGO / DEGREE / S ERVICE)
Ana Cristina Martins Rodrigues Taboada (Técnica Superior Estagiária/ Lic./ Laboratories)
Ana Paula Salgueira Rodrigues (Técnica Superior Estagiária/Lic./ UEM)
Catarina Nazaré Sousa de Freitas (Assistente Administrativa / Secondary Education/ Secretariat)
Maria Celina Ferreira de Barros (Auxiliar de Manutenção / Basic Education/ Laboratories)
Cláudia Manuel Borges Barreira (Técnica Superior Estagiária / Lic./ Post - Graduation)
Domingos Ferreira Dias (Técnico de Informática Adjunto / Secondary Education/ Laboratories)
João Filipe Almeida Malheiro (Auxiliar Técnico / Secondary Education/ Laboratories)
Helena Maria Alves Nascimento (Assistente Administrativa / Secondary Education/ Secretariat)
Isabel Mª Vieites Barbosa (Assistente Administrativa / Secondary Education/ Secretariat)
Jorge Manuel Afonso de Freitas (Especialista de Informática Estagiário/ Bachelor / UEM)
Jorge Manuel Soares Gonçalves Paula (Auxiliar Administrativo / Basic Education/ Laboratories)
José Carlos da Fonseca Henriques (Assessor Principal /Lic./Head Office ECS)
Lucília Goreti Ribeiro Pinto (Téc. Diag. Terapêutica/Lic./Laboratories)
Magda João Castelhano Carlos (Técnica Superior de 2ª classe / Lic./ Laboratories)
Maria Paulina D. Martins dos Santos (Técnica Superior Estagiária/Research)
Olga Maria de Sousa Miranda Abreu ( Assistente Administrativa Principal / Secondary Education/Secretariat)
Paula Carla Ferreira Gomes Pereira (Técnica Superior de 2ª classe / Lic./Human Resources)
Susana Isabel Vaz Santos (Auxiliar Técnica/ Secondary Education/ Laboratories)
Legend
FTE- Full Time Equivalent
Lic- “Licenciado”
49
Annual Report
2003

Annual Report 2003 - ICVS

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